Bless Your Remembrance & Celebration

**Garden Tomb,Jerusalem**
(*photo by Terrence Wil Robinson 1986*)

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine upon you all, and through you all. . .

Our Future

1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 126

On the Way Home

There is an old Roman road leading out of Jerusalem, downward toward some small towns. Some of the stones that originally paved the road still my be seen. It was along that road, two thousand years ago, that two disappointed, perhaps disillusioned, men walked. As they walked home they discussed the events of the day. They reasoned together. They wanted to know the truth. They discussed Yeshua, who’d died before the Passover supper. Was He really the Messiah? Others had asked that question a few years before. What should be done? Was there another that would save Isreal from Roman domination, establish Israel as a nation again. They sought the truth.

They were confused. Yeshua had died. Yet earlier in the day they’d found out that the tomb in which He lay was now empty. Furthermore, angels had declared Him to be alive. Yet they hadn’t seen Him.

I think about these two followers of Yeshua. They’d been with Yeshua for some time. They’d known Him. Yet they were doubting. But even in their confusion, they sought the truth. It gives us great hope, does it not? That even when we have trouble focusing, trouble in holding on to our small faith, that if we truly seek the truth. . .

“Yeshua himself drew near and went with them.”

Surely you’ve read the story found in Luke 24:13-34, The Road to Emmaus. There’s a lot in these few sentences. There are a number of things that have always seemed to stick out to me. One is that Yeshua walked along next to them and they didn’t recognize Him. And he questioned them on what they knew, what they thought, about the day’s events, about the Messiah. Then Yeshua explained things to them.

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (v27)

Another point that sticks with me is how they invited this stranger into their home. They made supper. And it wasn’t until Yeshua did something that would be very familiar to them that they realised Who sat there, Who’d walked with them. Who’d talked with them.

“[Yeshua] took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.” (v30)

I’m encouraged by this short story th.}at Luke tells. I hope it is so to y’all.

(I’ve relied upon commentary by Albert Barnes, Barnes’s Notes, for the mindset of the followers as they talked together.)

Faith and Hope as Lifestyle

The other day, at Daily Tehillem, it was Psalm 23. While I’ve read the psalm many times, and various comentaries, the last two verses struck me as wonderful prayer:

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

A prayer not only for me, but to be directed toward others, on the behalf of others. For in this prayer I see first the victory G-d blesses us Continue reading “Faith and Hope as Lifestyle” →

At the Helm of a Small Boat in a Storm

At the helm of a small boat in a storm. Or maybe it was when I was a very young child, at night trying to sleep, and the monsters attacked. It’s all the same, really. I am fearful. I cry out in distress. It is my mother that pops her head in the door, light shining into my dark world. I can’t really scream, but simply gasp.

“Oh, dear, it’ll be okay. Go back to sleep,” she’d not say. Would she? If she did say that I can picture the scene in my head.

“Don’t you see them,” I’d gasp, barely able to cry out. I can imagine the terror of monsters crawling toward me as the door closes and my mother walks away.

“It turned out nice again, didn’t it?” she’d say as she walks away. That is what she always said when unpleasant things happened. But despite that, my mother still wouldn’t walk away.

I remember one time when I was maybe six or seven years old. I felt sick and had a nightmare. My mother gathered me into her arms and carried me into the living room. She and my Dad were watching the “Phil Silver’s Show” on their first television. It had a smaller screen than an iPad and was in black and white. I remember being wrapped in a Welsh wool blanket, and sat between them for the remainder of the show. Then, calmed and feeling a bit better, I was carried back to bed.

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Mark 6:45-50

Those guys were in a major panic. Waves taller than their boat was long threatened to toss them into the water. The wind whipped them about, trying desperately to turn the boat broadside to the wind, where it would capsize with the next wave. Were they exhausted trying to row against the wind, the waves? I am sure they were.

“Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

“What are you talking about?” they’d try to scream if they could catch their breaths. “You’re just a spirit and can’t drown out here alone in this awful water.” What comfort are words in a time of distress. Sure. Y’shuaJesus sent them out into the water, and now saw their distress. He came to them, too, across that water. All he’s going to do is peak at them through a closed door and say, “Don’t worry, dear.” That it?

I read a short devotional in which the well-meaning author wanted us to understand that when we are in the midst of trails and don’t feel the comfort of the Lord in our lives, He will see us, come to us, speak to us. When I read it it bothered me. It was too open ended. The Lord says everything’s fine. Don’t worry. Go back to those waves that look like they are going to consume you, and just relax, don’t be afraid. Those disciples must have known that’s not the end of the story. Our Lord, our G-d, isn’t going to leave us stranded in the middle of a raging storm. My mother didn’t shut the door and say sleep tight.

And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. Mark 6:51

That, like Paul Harvey said at the end of his radio broadcast, “Is the End of the Story.”

When the LORD sees I am in great distress, He comes to me, speaks gently to me, AND gets right next to me in my storm-tossed boat and wraps His arms about me. I close my eyes and my storm is calmed, my wind ceases, the wrath toward me is ended.

The LORD is One, The LORD is G-d. Thank you LORD.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Receiving the Messiah

Yesterday I waded through lists Street Preaching videos uploaded to YouTube. Among them were videos by people who scolded or harassed Street Preachers, videos of Street Preachers being attacked, videos of Street Preachers being arrested, and quite a few by Street Preachers doing their thing. I even watched a few minutes of about twenty videos.

In addition to those videos, there were instructional videos on Street Preaching as well as a video of a conference on Street Preaching. The instructional videos mostly were just more videos of guys wearing flashy “Jesus” tee-shirts and yelling to crowds of angry people. A few were videos of talking heads discussing Street Preaching. The first part of the video taken at an Atlanta Street Preachers’ Conference was about a portable megaphone system for screaming at people, confronting them.

It became clear early on as I reviewed those available videos that this form of evangelistic effort was not my thing, not my style. I don’t feel called to stand in a city screaming into a microphone at people. What, to me, was disturbing, is that these Street Preachers seemed content more to threaten people with Hell, than invite people to Heaven. Perhaps that’s a calling for them. Perhaps that’s a way to offer the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Y’shuaJesus The Messiah, to a stiff-necked, nearly reprobate people. I don’t wish to seem judgmental. All who are called use their talents their own ways to fulfill the calling.

God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.
—Romans 2:4

But there are some other effective ways for the rest of us to Street Preach. A woman once told me her story. “I was in terrible shape. I didn’t know what to do. I was using drugs, living with two men, and on the very edge. . . dying inside. I was in a laundromat when a woman approached me and said, ‘God Loves You!’ ” For her, that was enough to bring things into perspective. In the midst of sin, she heard the voice of the Living G-d speak through a woman the equivalent of “I LOVE YOU!” That was all she needed to start the process of receiving Messiah Y’shuaJesus into her heart and then allowing Him to extricate her from her sin.

Now don’t get me wrong here. While Y’shuaJesus extended His hand to a woman about to be stoned for adultery, He also was clear about sinning no more. He healed people out of love from them, and still does. But Y’shuaJesus loved the Father so much He drove sinners out of the Temple. He screamed at people, calling them vipers. We can’t cite just one incident in the life of Y’shuaJesus and see it as the only way He modeled Himself for us. We must take hold Y’shuaJesus in His entirety.

So I’m not particularly comfortable with the style of Street Preaching that screams to crouds at a “Gay Festival,” things like “God hates homosexuality. It is a sin. Repent or go to hell.” But the Street Preacher is right. And those who hear the words can’t come to the judgement seat of Christ saying “Hey, we didn’t know!”

Another thing I’ll say about this form of Street Preaching is that at least those folks are actually doing something. How many people warm pews on Sunday, live their quiet lives the following week, and return to warm a pew the next Sunday? And there are many like me who say, “I’m not comfortable with that style of preaching, witnessing.” Time to raise our hands to G-d, and say, “What can I do?”

That brings to mind a song in which the refrain is something like, “We can at least pray!” That is truth. If there is nothing that we seem talented enough to do, or nothing that we truly feel comfortable doing to help save the lost, the eternally dying, then at least we can pray.

I read about a man in Wales, around the turn of the Century—19th to 20th Century. This man became the preacher of a small church. He wasn’t exactly the preacher-of-the-year sort, either. A bit weak and timid. But two older, stronger women began to pray for that young pastor. I don’t recall how long it took, but the great Welsh Revival was spawned through those two women and that pastor. That Revival spread throughout Wales, and proceeded by several years the Azuza Street Revival in the United States.

And the preacher says, “Let Us Pray!”

Michtam

This morning I read Psalm 57. The introductory verse reads:

For the Chief Musician; Al- tashheth. [A Psalm] of David; Michtam; when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

The word Michtam immediately grabbed me. Michtam is first used in Psalm 16, then again in Psalms 57-60. A common definition for the word Michtam is “golden,” from which we are to infer that these Psalms are special, worthy of gold. Charles Spurgeon, in Treasury of David, used the term precious, and tells us that one of his friends believes Michtam means secret, as in a precious secret within this Psalm.

It occurs to me how easy it is to get carried away with this idea a secret. Look at all the self-help books that imply there are easy remedies to our problems kept secret from us and if we will buy the book, the author will guide us into truth. Huh! Arrogance. Foolishness. It is the Holy Spirit that guides us; there are things hidden and secret, and He will bring us into the truth.

Back to Michtam. “Rashi suggests that this word refers to an item that a person carries with him at all times. Thus, David here describes this Psalm as containing ideas that he would carry with him at every stage and setting throughout the life, concepts that he deemed vital as part of his day-to-day spiritual awareness.” —Daily Tehillim

The writer of Psalms Blogger refers to another writer who suggests Michtam means “hidden.” Stuff happens in our lives that we don’t understand, its real purpose is “hidden” from us. Ours isn’t to question why, but simply trust. “All things work for the good. . .” even if at the moment the situation isn’t understood or pleasant.

For me, all the definitions fit well in the context of Psalm 57. There are lessons we can learn from King David’s way of turning to G-d as his hiding place, as his refuge. The Psalm is based on King David’s experience of nearly being discovered by King Saul (see Samuel chapter 24), who entered the cave in which King David was hiding. I read the Psalm and see a wealth of wisdom hidden in what could be a simple Psalm. For the perilous days ahead, we can carry with us this Psalm. We can keep a literal print copy to carry with us and remind us of how Kind David handled the seemingly disastrous situations of his life. We can hold the wisdom of this Psalm, as we do all the promises and covenants we are given, in our hearts. We know that as G-d covered King David, keeping him safe, so G-d’s covering over us will keep us safe. We, like King David, will turn to our L-rd Y’shuaJesus Who is the anointed of G-d to redeem us.

Thinking of things secret and hidden: sometimes there are things that the Psalms “speak” to our hearts that we need not have directly explained to us by any teacher. This is true, too, of all the Bible. I am reminded of a comment by a writer friend about the end of one of my stories. He wanted me to “explain” the ending something like “the moral of the story is. . .” While I gratefully accepted his suggestion, I didn’t act on it. Some things a writer shouldn’t “spell” out; it’s up to the reader to infer or interpret the moral from the story itself. Our L-rd Y’shuaJesus understood this when He spoke about parables, and their usage. Paul spoke about the Gospel being hidden from those that are perishing.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. —2 Corinthians 4:3-6

In the context of the Bible, it is the L-rd Who opens our minds to the hidden, seemingly secret wisdom. We seek Him and we find Him, and we find the meaning of His Words. If we carry these various understandings in our hearts, we will find ourselves sheltered beneath the “wings of G-d.”

And if you find someone who wants to tell you all the secrets of the Bible, run. . .

Life is a Balancing Act

Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
Lord, who can dwell in Your tent?
Who can live on Your holy mountain?
The one who lives honestly, practices righteousness,
and acknowledges the truth in his heart —
who does not slander with his tongue,
who does not harm his friend
or discredit his neighbor,
who despises the one rejected by the Lord
but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his word whatever the cost,
who does not lend his money at interest
or take a bribe against the innocent —
the one who does these things will never be moved. Psalm 15

“David here outlines the virtues that render a person worthy of dwelling in Hashem’s “tent” and residing in His “sacred mountain.” According to the Radak, David refers here to the resting place of the soul in the afterlife; it is thus here where we are told how a person earns his eternal share in the world to come. The Radak draws proof to this reading from the chapter’s final clause, where David exclaims, “he who does these shall not falter, forever.” The term “forever” implies that David refers here to eternal peace, which would suggest that he speaks of the soul’s reward in the afterlife.

“In listing these virtues, David focuses first on proper interpersonal conduct: honesty and integrity (verse 2), and refraining from crimes such as gossip, causing others harm, and nepotistic protection of unworthy relatives (verse 3). In verse 4, he imposes an important qualification on the virtues of loving kindness and concern for others: “Nivzeh Be’einav Nim’as,” which Rashi translates to mean, “The shameful one is despicable in his eyes.” Although this prototype acts with love and sensitivity, he is at the same time prepared to confront evil and its advocates, rather than extend to them the same kindness and compassion he shows generally. He respects those who deserve respect, while condemning behavior that warrants condemnation.

“The Ibn Ezra and Radak explain this verse differently, as meaning that the person sees himself as “shameful” and “despicable.” Despite his many fine qualities, he recognizes how much more he has to grow and accomplish in order to achieve perfection. Rather than falling into the trap of stifling complacency, he constantly strives to improve and to accomplish more.

“The message conveyed by this Psalm is thus a dual one. On the one hand, David promises eternal life to everyone who lives in accordance with the basic values of honesty and Godliness; the world to come is not reserved for only the great Tzadikim who have reached the highest levels of spiritual devotion. At the same time, however, to earn eternal life one must spend his life in the pursuit of perfection, working each day to grow and become better than he is. This Psalm does not demand that everybody be perfect, but it does not demand that everybody work towards and strive for spiritual perfection.” —Daily Tehlllim Psalm 15

“Here is a very serious question concerning the character of a citizen of Zion. It is the happiness of glorified saints, that they dwell in the holy hill; they are at home there, they shall be for ever there. It concerns us to make it sure to ourselves that we have a place among them. A very plain and particular answer is here given. Those who desire to know their duty, will find the Scripture a very faithful director, and conscience a faithful monitor. A citizen of Zion is sincere in his religion. He is really what he professes to be, and endeavors to stand complete in all the will of God. He is just both to God and man; and, in speaking to both, speaks the truth in his heart. He scorns and abhors wrong and fraud; he cannot reckon that a good bargain, nor a saving one, which is made with a lie; and knows that he who wrongs his neighbor will prove, in the end, to have most injured himself. He is very careful to do hurt to no man. He speaks evil of no man, makes not others ‘faults the matter of his common talk; he makes the best of every body, and the worst of nobody. If an ill- natured story be told him, he will disprove it if he can; if not, it goes no further. He values men by their virtue and piety. Wicked people are vile people, worthless, and good for nothing; so the word signifies. He thinks the worse of no man’s piety for his poverty and mean condition. He reckons that serious piety puts honor upon a man, more than wealth, or a great name. He honors such, desires their conversation and an interest in their prayers, is glad to show them respect, or do them a kindness. By this we may judge of ourselves in some measure. Even wise and good men may swear to their own hurt:but see how strong the obligation is, a man must rather suffer loss to himself and his family, than wrong his neighbor. He will not increase his estate by extortion, or by bribery. He will not, for any gain, or hope of it to himself, do any thing to hurt a righteous cause. Every true living member of the church, like the church itself, is built upon a Rock. He that doeth these things shall not be moved for ever. The grace of God shall always be sufficient for him. The union of these tempers and this conduct, can only spring from repentance for sin, faith in the Savior, and love to him. In these respects let us examine and prove our own selves.” —Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Two perspectives on a psalm of King David. One from a Jewish Commentator; the other from a Christian commentator. Both perspectives point to the obligations to live in the balance between justice and kindness. Rev. Henry wrote: “The union of these tempers and this conduct, can only spring from repentance for sin, faith in the Savior, and love to him. In these respects let us examine and prove our own selves.” From Tehillim we learn that “. . . to earn eternal life one must spend his life in the pursuit of perfection, working each day to grow and become better than he is. This Psalm does not demand that everybody be perfect, but it does not demand that everybody work towards and strive for spiritual perfection.”

The only difference I find between the Jewish and Christian way of living is those who know Y’shuaJesus as Messiah have accepted they work toward perfection so that they may live eternally in the House of the LORD, yet understand it is never earned, but granted by the one Who gave His life, that died, rose, and lives so we may live today without regret and live forever with Him in the House of the LORD.

As the World Turns

As the world turns was the name of a soup opera that my Mother watched many years ago. That’s what I thought of when I read the title of Geoffrey Grider’s blog “As The World Descends Into Turmoil, God Commands Bible Believers To ‘Fear Not’.” (Click on the title to redirect to the full article.)

In the article that is worth reading, Mr. Grinder makes many references to scripture about not fearing the turmoil that WILL come upon us with the Day of the LORD, as spoken of in Zephaniah, and many other places.

The great day of the Lord is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter;
the mighty man cries aloud there.
A day of wrath is that day,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements. Zephaniah 1:14-16

I felt it important to declare that America will not be destroyed by its enemies; this is also a warning to America’s enemies that they will be judged for their actions against America. This holds for all nations within which the Righteous of G-d may be found. For countries such as Islamic nation states, that persecute the Righteous within their own borders, they will experience the Wrath of G-d without restraint.

While America cannot be utterly destroyed, it has, can, and will be attacked from within and from without by unrighteous people and nation states. This means not only that we, the Righteous of G-d, experience various emotional and physical distress, but that many may experience the death of their bodies. But that is not death. For the Righteous of G-d live with G-d through the salvation gift from Y’shuaJesus. Praise the Lord!

Now, let me point out that in Mr. Grider’s blog, he states “I believe that the Lord does not want us reading about things that may happen, and of which we have no control. We are giving the devil room for his fiery darts when we focus on things which bring fear to our hearts.” While I agree that now doubt we will deal with fear when we read of various reports or theories of what could happen, even Y’shuaJesus said we would hear these things. We cannot avoid it. And we can use such reactions to our advantage. We can use reports to make us aware of how best to prepare. If we do not hear the warning, how will we be able to properly respond?

Read Mr. Grider’s article. Read the scriptures that calm our fears. Trust in our Lord Y’shuaJesus.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Wait. So G-d won’t destroy the United States next year?

While there continue to be many of our American Churches that display the bold signs requesting that G-d Bless America, there continue to be many who feel G-d has no reason to Bless America, and should, in fact, cause its destruction. These people would say that Christians in America have let the country down. They would say that Christians allowed America’s decline by allowing it to foolishly follow the ways of the world, the entrapment of money, to fall into the pit of immorality. Christians are, some how, responsible for not stopping it. Whatever. . .

So lets do some simple figuring, comparing.

So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived. Genesis 19:29

G-d didn’t hold Lot responsible for Sodom, the town in which he lived. In fact, had G-d’s ambassadors found only ten righteous then He would have relented in Sodom’s destruction. So let’s look at a formula for determining if there are enough people in a country to prevent G-d from destroying it. Sodom’s population was about 1000 at the time it was destroyed. So G-d’s ambassadors needed to find at least ten righteous out of one thousand. That’s only one person out of one hundred. The United States of America has about 320,000,000 people living within its borders. One out of one hundred means about 3,200,000 righteous people need to be found. How many righteous are there in America? I suppose that depends upon your definition of righteous. Perhaps you don’t want to use the polls that say 80% of Americans are Christian as a valid number, preferring to narrow it down a bit to 25% evangelical. Perhaps we should narrow it down further, just because we all know not all who say they are evangelical are really True Followers. So lets say we consider 5% of Americans actually are followers of Y’shuaJesus, with righteousness imparted to them. That’s the equivalent of G-d’s emissaries to Sodom finding forty righteous with in the town.

So perhaps America doesn’t deserve G-d’s Blessing. But G-d isn’t going to destroy it now. If He looks, if He wants to know, He will find at least three million Believers remaining in America. But will G-d protect America from its enemies? G-d is in charge. A country, a person, cannot come against America without G-d allowing it. America has enemies both foreign and domestic. But its enemies will not destroy it. Not this coming year, any way. The ninty-five percent of Americans–yes, a percentage that grows each year–will continue to live worldly lives, even immoral lives. Babies will continue to be murdered before birth. Immorality will continue to be preached by Hollywood through films and television, and in the schools through corrupt curriculum. And the American media will continue its selective reporting, hiding some truth while preaching some deception. And Americans will face danger, even death, at the hands enemies from within the country, and from enemies in other nations. There will continue a racial division that breeds distrust and hatred among Americans, all promoted by some individuals in trusted positions in our own government. Our law enforcement and military personnel will continue to be targets of hatred and violence. A form of lawlessness will continue in America.

But, do not take it that America is weak. For we are, as we were before World War II, a nation of people who can, and will, protect ourselves and each other. We are a people who, despite appearances to the contrary, come together against common enemies and prevail. Americans are free, therefore we are free to squabble. But the enemies, both within and without, need only take a look at history and beware what lies behind every blade of grass.

As we put in the past one more year, saying good-bye to 2014, let us pray that we who are among the five percent continue to seek the Lord, praying that all would do the same.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine upon you and yours. . .

Happy New Year!